S 10 Paciric Grear Hasrern Raimway. 1922

W ATER-POWERS.

This district, in common with all those adjoining the line, offers many opportunities for the
development of small hydro-electric development, and on the Quesnel River at two points some-
what extensive power plants could be developed. Howeyer, there will be no justification for the
development of power or electric energy at any of these points until settlement becomes much
more widely extended in the district and active development of ‘the timber and mineral resources
undertaken.

Totrist Resorts.

There are no points immediately adjacent to this section of the line which offer opportunity
for the development of tourist resorts.

The town of Quesnel is a very attractive site for summer hUmes and may in time attract
people who wish to spend the holiday season in an attractive district of Northern British
Columbia, and the large lakes to the east (Quesnel and Horsefly) will continue to attract
sportsmen owing ‘to the excellent fishing and big-game shooting, but these districts are too
remote from the railway-line to attract ordinary tourists.

TRAFFIC POSSIBILITIES.

That portion in this section of the line in the Fraser Valley from Soda Creek north to
Quesnel affords an opportunity for largely increased traffic resulting from extended agricultural
development. The district in question is, as has been explained above, capable of supporting a
large number of additional settlers, and if actively developed should provide a more intensive
local traffic than any other portion of the line to the south,

Ultimately, traffic will no doubt result from the manufacture of lumber and. possibly, pulp
at Quesnel, resulting from the development of the large timbered areas at Quesnel and Horsefly
Lakes and tributary streams, but expenditures must be made in improving the Quesnel River
for driving purposes before traffic will result therefrom. :

The information available also indicates the probability of future development of mining
areas in the district tributary to this section of the line, resulting, of course, in traffic consequent
upon the movement of machinery and supplies, but for the immediate future I cannot see any
prospect of increased traffic resulting from development of resources tributary to the line, except
that resulting from further development of the agricultural areas in the Fraser Valley as
outlined above.

SECTION 4—QUESNEL TO PRINCE GEORGE.

The uncompleted portion of the line from Quesnel to Prince George was not personally
examined. I had previously inspected the district for some 20 miles south and west from Prince
George, and the only means of transportation from Quesnel to Prince George was ‘by small motor-
boat on the Fraser, which would afford no opportunity of inspecting the country adjacent to the
located railway-line.

I have carefully perused all available reports on this district, and especially that submitted
by It. J. Work, Right-of-way Agent of the company, under date October 3rd, 1921.

The information disclosed by these reports indicates that this unfinished portion of the line
intersects districts suitable for further agricultural development, this being especially the case
in the vicinity of Stone Creek, Strathnaver, Meadow Creek, and 10-Mile Lake.

The soil in these districts appears to be good, irrigation not necessary, and the timber easy
to remove, but these reports also make it clear that there are no other special resources of timber
or minerals tributary to this section; and while it may be assumed that the completion of the
line would stimulate the agricultural development, it seems very doubtful whether sufficient
traffic to meet operating expenses would result, particularly as that portion of the district for
20 miles south and south-west of Prince George is naturally tributary to the Grand Trunk Pacific
line at that point.

It is also to be noted that several of the districts tributary to this section, which are suitable
for agricultural development, as explained aboye, are comprised of large holdings in private
hands, and it seems quite clear that in this instance, as well as at other points on the railway-
line previously referred to, some steps must be taken to subdivide these large holdings and
introduce an active colonization policy before the somewhat limited agricultural areas tributary
to the line can be brought to a full measure of productiveness,